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Arrival of Bottas will push Hamilton to a new level, Fittipaldi claims

20 mars 2017 16:18

The arrival of Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes will push Lewis Hamilton to excel in 2017, says two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

Hamilton was denied a third consecutive Formula One title and fourth overall by the victory of team-mate Nico Rosberg last season.

The German's shock retirement days after capturing his maiden F1 crown means Hamilton will have a new team-mate to compete against at powerhouse manufacturer Mercedes this season in the shape of Finn Bottas.

Fittipaldi, the world champion in 1972 and 1974, expects Bottas to be a genuine contender for the title, which in turn will bring about a greater level of performance from Hamilton.

"I think [with] the new rules we don't know if this dominance of Mercedes will continue, because the change of rules have changed it completely with different tyres, different aerodynamics - it can change the balance between the teams," Fittipaldi, speaking courtesy of Laureus, told Omnisport.